Evolution
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: Cast aside by society. Abhored by humanity. These are but two of the trials he is destined to endure. Fate however, will not allow this young shinobi-turned-mutant to endure them alone. Because the future has never been set in stone; as with all things it is rarely certain. Always changing, ever in motion, never at rest. Indeed, it is always...evolving. Narutoxharem!
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: WARNING! If you are not at least FAMILAIR with the X-Men,(Honestly, who isn't!) and if you are not a fan of Naruto, read not this story! Also as I am now currrently jobless(Again) updates should be a bit more regular than usual C=_**

The bailey stood empty, save for one dead and dying.

But even now, he was becoming aware.

_Tap-Tap-Tap_

The sound of footsteps brought him back to reality. He raised his gaze, peering with wonderment as a stranger walked through those doors, garbed in reddish magenta, caped and majestic, bearing an air of almost regal detachment. He surveyed the room with his gaze, pondering the strange sight; the ruination within. Furniture had been viciously overturned, bottles broken, and, as he cleared the threshold, he realized that the destruction had come to a sudden halt; most likely due to his sudden entrance.

When he opened his eyes, he realized his first mistake.

The boy blinked, but said nothing.

He was a handsome youth, if intense. His blond hair was disheveled, his blue eyes intelligent, his features balanced. Whisker marks tripled each cheek cheeks that might have dimpled with a constantly bright and enthused grin; no matter the situation or mission. Now, he was intense, his visage free of the baby fat that had cursed him in his younger years. Chiseled and nigh but expressionless, that face squinted against the sunlight; those harsh rays of radiance that threatened to obscure his vision and distract him from it from the threat of this man who stood before him.

"Were you the one that did this?" The helmeted stranger asked, indicating the chaos surrounding him. The boy blinked, as if only just now recognizing the utter destruction he had wrought, but still, he said nothing. His lips moved, but no sound emerged. Perhaps it was the child could not speak? Perhaps it was just the strain then, that caused those strange currents of air, leading the very atmosphere, to boil around him?

"Be careful to whom you speak, child." The man cautioned, his eyes cool, contemplative, almost like liquid steel. "Your power seems to have a mind of its own." He gestured a bit, waving his hand as though in greeting. Instead, a steel girder wrenched itself from the ceiling and plummeted toward the unspoken youth. For a moment it seemed almost as if nothing would happen; that the boy would simply remain there, staring upward, awaiting his own demise.

Then his eyes widened.

_Then_ they narrowed; the sapphire of his irises molding itself around his cornea, into a smoldering scarlet. His lips parted in a soundless scream, and, abruptly his body moved, and in such a way that the term "movement" simply could not suffice. One moment he'd lain there, slumped against the wall, half-dead. The next, a crimson tide swelled forth from his form, lancing upward with such swiftness that it bifurcated the girder as if it were naught but butter, and it, the knife.

The severed halves fell around him, sundered by the strange manifestation seeping through his skin. Even as the man watched, it retreated, the grisly apparition dissapearing back from whench it had come, leaving the lad's skin only slighty singed around the neck and shoulders. And even as he looked on, those wounds_-slight though they were-_did the inconcievable; they healed, the flesh knitting itself back together until it was as if the injuries had never existed at all.

"Impressive."

Intrigued, the helmeted man turned his gaze aside, warily eyeing the smoking metal, watching as it dissolved into nothingness._ Incredible._ The boy had not burned it away, as he'd initially assumed. Nor had he destroyed the steel. He'd simply erased it from its existence, eradicating it so utterly that not even a molecule remained. And he hadn't tried to move at all, not in the slightest.

Such a power was...

_Fascinating._

"Charles," The man who later call himself Magneto began, turning toward the empty doorway, "Perhaps you should see this for yourself."

**A/N: This takes place almost DIRECTLY before Professor Xavier and Magneto had their falling out, making our young hero one of the more formidable mutants they recruited together. As to what Naruto's mutant power is, well, its obviously the Kyuubi. Anything that powerful is at LEAST an Omega class, if not higher. Pairing could be Naruto/Rogue, or Naruto/Jean, or any other myriad of choices, but you'll have to PM vote on that now, won't you?**


	2. Innocent Heart and Demonic Blood

**A/N: Alright ladies and gentlmen, good news and bad news. Good news first. My surgeries are over. Bad news: Now I have to find a JOB to pay for everything. Still, I'm feeling a bit better now. Really. Kinda. Sorta. ****I'm hanging tough though, having just come out of the woods...only to work my ass off as a bloody dishwasher! Not fun! Not fun at alll! UUUUUGH! I'm woking almost daily and I feel like crap, as to that effect. But nevertheless, despite this pesky little hiccup-I wanted to get word out any way I could, and since for some strange reason the site is being buggy, I wasnt able to work on this anywhere near as much as I would've liked. Still...ALMOST FORTY REVIEWS ALREADY?!**

**I love you guys so much! *Cries***

**On another note, I suppose the new X-Men movie is what motivated me to return to my roots and work on this story anew. If you haven't gone to see it yet, I totally reccommend it! Now, on that odd note...**

**...onto the story! Sorry if its short!**

_"I don't want your suffering! I don't want your future!"_

_~?_

**Innocent Heart and Demonic Blood**

That day...seemed so long ago now.

The boy had since become a young man, honing his grisly gifts under the watchful eye of Professor X. The other man-Magneto-was little more than a distant memory, separated from the Professor through irreconcilable differences, terms which the boy no longer cared to remember.

And why should he?

He barely remembered those first, fateful days anumore. Didn't want to remember. Remembering_...hurt._ He'd been downright feral back then, a beast in a boy's body. Back then he had been unable; and perhaps even _unwilling_ to control his own power. The same power that had killed his parents. His family. It had taken months to get over that; years, before he would even speak to anyone, other than the man who had taken him in on that god-awful rainy evening. How many years had it been, he wondered? Time got funny in his head, sometimes.

Ah, but it didn't matter anymore.

He had a new name now. A new family. Even a new identity. He, one the first of Xavier's student's students, had evolved. No longer was he that small, stuttering boy. He'd learned to respect what he was and fear his gifts in equal measure; understand that being different didn't make him

His old name hurt too much to use, just recalling it was enough enough to send shivers down his spine. No, he much rather preferred his new name.

_Scarlet._

* * *

><p>"Scarlet!"<p>

Blond hair danced wildly in the air as his body spun foward, issuing smooth kicks and flowing swings with nothing more than practiced grace. Fighting enemies coming from every side the youth shot his arms out, impeccable poise and precision behind every strike. For a seemingly simple kata it was amazingly complex, flowing from punch to kick and vice-versa with maximum force and no energy wasted. It was, in a word, incredible. Flawless in its mastery. So focused was he on the exercise that he failed to hear his new name being called.

Here in the yard, his body warded away from prying eyes by the building's comforting shadow, he was far too gone into his morning regiment to notice anyone else but himself. He'd worked himself into a frenzy with a workout like this; nothing short of an outright attack would jar the blond from his rigorous schedule. Not even Jean seemed to be able to do that to him these days, and she was one of his best friends! Perhaps the one reason why he no longer viewed his powers as a curse and instead saw them as a gift...

...one that could _hurt._ Voices pounded in his head at the thought, an old pain stirring deep within him.

_"Oh god, Jean! I'm so sorry!"_

_"Logan, restrain him!"_

_"I was an accident, professor! I swear!"_

Another sweat-slicked limb pistoned forward, tiny droplets sheering away from the motion. He swung again, and a fine sheen of red energy reduced them to so much steam.

_'Not good enough,'_ he chastised himself, still cringing at the memory of what he'd nearly done to the redhead years prior. _'I need to be faster. Stronger! So I never lose control again! Never again!'_

"Hey!" the voice came again, a distant tingle in his ears that was readily ignored. "I'm talkin' to you!"

Snarling, he raised an arm and swung forwards into another stance, the air shimmering red around the limb as he called upon his power, those near-invisible sheen slicing through the air like invisible boomerangs after each movement. Still further he pushed himself, slowly feeling his body beginning to rise off the ground as he struck with renewed fury at the air around him. _Flight._ It was...exhilerating. His gift stemmed from his base emotions; anger, joy, lust. Difficult to control at even the best of times outside of combat but when he was moving and flowing when he was _fighting_, be it an invisible foe or an all too real adversary, the power came to him all too easily, almost unlimited in its application and potential.

_'Never!'_

Even now he could feel it enfolding him, a scarlet cloak sheathing him from head to toe-so much like his hard won namesake-sinister streamers of red energy wrapping around his muscles, engorging his body with pure power, flooding his veins with adrenaline, obscuring his battered black jeans and old, orange hoodie in the light of his transformation. He stood tall and unflinching, feeling the madness creep at the corners of his vision, and yet beyond that he maintained near flawless control. He felt rather than saw the three tails blooming behind him, but he remained every bit as rational as he'd been before the change, never once slipping from the practiced movements of his kata, his now crimson eyes narrow and intent as the red mask of power and blood slipped over his visage, hiding his face from the world. His body drifted back to the earth as he released a hold on that aspect of his ability, allowing himself to better focus on his gifts. Left, he swung.

"Seriously?" closer the words came, and still he brushed them off, too far gone in his own thoughts to notice or care. "You're really going to do this? Ignore me?"

Right! Left! Right!

Why was it so easy to control when he was angry, he wondered? As he stood now, he could obliterate a small building with a single punch. This was toxic, corrosive, dangerous to anyone who touched it. And yet, here, with no one to interrupt him, he felt focused. Powerful. Nothing could stop him. It was so easy to get swept up in the rush that came with his gift, to let the mindless aspect of his own genes overpower him and send a wave of euphoria flooding through his mind. Yet he resisted, clinging fast to his sanity. Nothing could stop him now.

Nothing at all.

"NA-RU-TO!"

The youth very nearly _hissed_ as a feminine drawl greeted his ears and a bare hand closed around his wrist; the primal power he'd held so long within his thrall sputtering and dying before his very eyes despite his best efforts to maintain it for a single second longer. He didn't even have to turn to know the culprit, but he did so regardless, an invective already forming on his slightly scarred lips. Only two mutants touched him like that on a daily basis and of those, two only one could take his power away leave him feeling as weakened as he did. But just as quickly as she'd weakned him, so too did his strength return. He spun around without thinking of the consqequences; taking hold of her and slamming her body into the tree he'd been abusing for the last hour, fingers sinking into her waist and holding fast.

"That," he growled, with eyes unseeing, "Wasn't very smart."

"Easy there, big guy," her voice, like sweet honey, poured into his ear. "Didn't know you were this grabby in the mornin', hmm?" Naruto blinked at that, his mind slowly coming back to him.

He almost wished it hadn't.

Stark green eyes, bright with mischief and just a twinge of red_-his red-_stared back him. Short shoulderlength, smoky white-brown hair tickled at the nape of his neck and bridge of his nose, taunting him with her scent, promising him sweet nothings and reminding him of last night's intimacy. This close he could _feel_ her body heat through the thin gown of her nightie-the black silk and lace leaving precious little to the imagination even as it mocked him, her pale skin stirring desires best kept under lock and key.

_Rogue._

"We don't have time for this," he muttered, trying to pull away, failing, as those fingers traced his face. "Going to be late...its Monday, remember?" Despite that, he couldn't quite wriggle free. Not when she still had so much of his power in her grasp. "Class...

"So? She wasn't having any of it, stepping into him, tempting him with her prescence. _"I'm_ late all the time."

"Says the girl who led me on a merry chase across the city."

_"Gods,_ you're never going to let that go, are you?" she laughed, the words were without rancour as she nuzzled her head deeper into his shoulder, her hands fisting around his hoodie. "I was scared back then...can you blame me?" Scared? Understatment of the century. She'd been absolutely terrified, absorbing abilities left and right, not knowing how to make sense of them. Mystique's interference had only made matters even worse before he'd finally happened upon her. Then she'd gotten ahold of _him. _His power had overwhelmed her in short order, she'd gone right up to eight tails before he'd managed to calm her down.

If he hadn't caught Mystique after that, hadn't revealed the woman's ruse, things might've gotten...complicated.

Funny what the loss of an arm could do to...persuade one otherwise. Oddly enough Naruto didn't regret maiming the blue-skinned shapeshifter. Nay, the idea of putting someone like that in her place was something of a personal high for him. And if just-so-happened to bring him and Rogue closer together, who was he to protest.

"Considering you almost went _berserk_ with my powers the first time we met...not really." he chuckled at the memory, one of the few times something had gone _right _in his life.

"Aw, sugar, then I should make it up to you." Ah, but he underestimated women and their payback!

"Erm...didn't you already do that a couple of months back?"

Naruto colored at the mischief in those jaden orbs. He _knew_ that look. It was the same one that kept him awake many a night. Impossibly, her grin only grew.

"I have no idea what you're talking about...

_"Rogue."_ the word was as much an angry admonishment as it was an aggrieved groan. "Why are you so...?" He felt the back of his neck burn when she kissed him, her lips obliterating all rational thought, her smudged lipstick pushing sanitiy from his mind. Whiskered cheeks colored crimson as she pushed up against him, every curve, every inch pressing into the hard contours of his body. Try as he might, he couldn't think to chastise her for the affection. Not when he was the only person in the world she could ever hope to touch without the gloves. Well, save Wolverine-and there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell of _that_ taking off anytime soon. He was certain of that much.

Because Naruto could _touch_ Rogue.

Touch her. Feel her. Kiss her. Hold her in his arms and never let her go. And so much more. His unusual gift and regeneration saw to that. As swiftly as she sapped his strength it returned, more potent than ever. They didn't really understand it, only that it worked. The most she could do was make him a little dizzy with prolonged contact, and even that didn't last very long. She'd been delighted to discover that when they'd first met, someone who was essentially immune to her gift/curse. Someone who could share her pain.

Uzumaki Naruto discovered a kindred spirit in the girl that day, someone who feared their powers just as much-if not moreso than himself. Someone who knew what it was like to be alone, who had suffered the pain of loss just as he had. He'd also learned something else in the months since.

_Rogue liked to touch._

His mind exploded into white as his arms took control, spreading themselves across her back. He was so completely taken aback by her kiss that he hardly noticed when his left hand began to cup her firm ass and his right palm took up residence on her jaw. He deepened the kiss as he pressed his body against hers, pushing her back against the nearest wall. Her hands were just as explorative, her nimble fingertips running along his chest and stomach.

Rogue grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him forwards to the bedroom, her hands tugging at his clothes as they went. He pulled her nightie over her head and pushed her gently toward the mattress, quietly admiring the look of her naked torso in the early morning sunlight. He took off his own shirt, smirking as her eyes danced over his chest.

And how could she not? Touching any other mutant would temporarily rob them of their powers-and their concsiousness-but not him. It was only natural that they'd become intimate given time. He was certain he could never hurt her unlike Jean; she'd just absorb his power. And yet, as she dragged him back inside, as she tossed him down on her bed, something plucked at his heartstrings. Jean. Was he doing wrong by her? He cared for the redhead, but everytime he looked at her, he couldn't help but recall what he'd done to her. She'd been standing too close when he'd snapped, and that scar on her face would never heal. It didn't matter whether or not she'd forgiven him.

He couldn't forgive _himself._

Naruto wasn't quite sure when he had fallen for Rogue, only that he had; by the time he realized she'd staked a claim to a part of his heart he was already hopelessly in love with her. Being with her made it easy to just forget about Jean, Kitty, and all the rest.

That was the problem about females; they were impossible to understand. Even harder to predict. Whenever he saw one aside from Rogue, more often than not, he was reduced to a stuttering wreck. One moment they wanted you close, the next they wanted to push you away. Rogue never sent such conflicting signals. She was easy to understand. Simple, even. He knew better than to make her angry, didn't ignore her unless he had no other choice, and more often than not, he actually enjoyed being with her. And yet...and yet...

He was still restless.

Regardless...

_They never did make it to class that day._

**A/N: Aaand there you have it! This Naruto is slightly different the norm that I write; primarily in the fact that this Naruto is a great deal more reclusive and inward than most. This chapter was a little lighter than the others in the violence category, as some things were explained. Yes, Naruto does have an interest in both Jean and Rogue-but its difficult for him to express after all. Bonds aren't easy for him at all; indeed, it'll prove to be a source of internal conflict for him a ways down the road considering how she was winged. Remember folks, our dear Naruto holds his bonds in very high esteem. He doesn't take kindly to anyone interfering with them, hence his initial hesitation when speaking to members of the opposite sex.**

**So...in the immortal words of Atlas...**

**...Review, Would You Kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview! It's a big one! The plot thickens! Also, the next chapter for Die Another Day _is _coming out soon-I've already got well more than Four thousand words and I just want to live up to your grand expectations, is all =D**

**_(Preivew)_**

_"Jean?" he frowned, searching. "Where are you-_

_"Jean's not here, boy."_

_Naruto jerked his head aside with a pained hiss as he let his gift roar free of its restraints, a subtle flare of his power sending the steel girder crashing harmlessly again the shield he'd erected. Pain. Using his power with out preparing himself wreaked havoc on his body, a blinding sunspot of pure agony flaring across his eyes. Even as his vision cleared, something swatted him from behind, sending him sprawling across the construction site on his back._

_"It's been a long time, boy." a familiar voice crooned from on high. "You've improved, I see. Such a shame, really. You waste your talents with the X-Men."_

_"Yeah, you say that but..._

_He turned, groaning._

_Slitted eyes regarded the one who had mocked him so, narrowed as they realized the lengths to which he had been duped. Shit. Naruto wasn't the swearing sort, but a string of invectives filled his mind as he laid eyes upon that face, that helmet, the flowing cape that seemed to sway within an unseen breeze. They were carved into his earliest memories, a visage that instinctually inspired fear-terror-at the sight of him. It took all he had not to clamor to his feet and bold._

_Magneto._

_Despite himself and the fury he felt, Uzumaki Naruto gulped._

_"Ah, balls..._

** Hope you enjoyed! R&R! =D**


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